Ekphrasis Of The Painting In The Rape Of Lucrece

The Ekphrasis of the Painting in The Rape of Lucrece Within the lines of 1440 through 1495 in The Rape of Lucrece, the painting that depicts the Fall of Troy and Lucrece looks about it when she had just been raped. Being roman woman, she feels that being taken advantage of to such a degree has not only shamed herself but brings shame to her family and also other women of Rome after she dies. Within the painting Hecuba is weeping over her son, Priam by Pyrrhus. This was the fall of Troy; over one man dying, such can be paralleled with Lucrece being raped. Lucrece herself is an embodiment for Rome, so when she is violated she feels all of Rome has been violated with her. In this way she destroys herself, destroying the rape with her. Within

First one should recognize that Hecuba is personally experiencing a great loss for herself, her son is now dead. Looking at this painting it is meant to be seen as if it is being depicted in the very moment. Not only has Hecuba lost her son, but she is looking at the Fall of Troy in a way. The question is which Hecuba is mourning her son, what her son represents or possibly both. Continuing with lines 1455-58 Lucrece connects her emotion with the emotion of Hecuba in the painting: /Show’d life imprison’d in a body dead/ On this sad shadow Lucrece spends her eyes,/ And shapes her sorrow to the beldam’s woes,/ (1456-58). Both of these woman are enraged with no control of the situation at hand, they have experienced great loss. Hecuba has experienced loss of her son and the loss of her city. Lucrece has been physically taken control of, raped and hurt within her. She has lost her virginity unwillingly and is not in control with herself. She represents Rome in a way, or all of the women of Rome. If she is to live on without killing herself, what would this do for the women after her time? Around line 1462, /And therefore Lucrece swears he did her wrong,/ (1462) and line 1467: /And rail on Pyrrhus that hath done him wrong;/ (1467). Lucrece compares herself with Hector, they both had wrong done to them, but both could do nothing about it. He is dead and

She may be referring to her as a prostitute, because did Helen have a choice in being taken from Troy or did she choose to go with Paris? This is what began the war. Lucrece continues to tear Helen wither nails in line 1472. Then lust becomes the subject of interest to Lucrece in the painting: /Thy heat of lust, fond Pairs, did incur/ This load of wrath that burning Troy doth bear:/ Thy eye kindled the fire that burneth here;/ (14773-75). The lust of one man burned down the entire city of Troy. The symbol of burning here is lust, as the city is burning from its lust of Paris. Lucrece then questions why one’s relationship must affect so many people when looking at the painting. The lust that Paris had for Helen affected many lives around them when there lust eventually led to the fall of Troy came into full affect. Helen did not choose to destroy her own life in her situation she instead went with Paris, with the lust then causing a war to try and get her back. What happened to Helen affected her entire city, and Lucrece feels like the tragedy of her rape will affect the women that live in Rome after she dies. /For one’s offence why should so many fall,/ (1483). /Had doting Priam cheque’d his son’s desire,/ Troy had been bright with fame and not with fire.’/ (1490-91). If Priam had controlled his son’s desire, then Priam would not have died in the end. If Lucrece